Refugees’ Education and Skills

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education. The United Nations refugee agency estimates that fewer than 1 percent of refugees globally are enrolled in higher education programs.

According to UNHCR and UNICEF, of the 16.1 million refugees worldwide under the mandate of UNHCR, in 2015, only 50% of refugee children were in primary school and just 22% of refugee adolescents were in secondary school. Primary school-aged refugees numbered 3.5 million in 2015, and secondary school-aged refugees numbered 2.5 million. Of the 2.5 million secondary school aged adolescent refugees,2 million were not enrolled in secondary school.

In spite of the right to education for refugees being enshrined under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its accompanying 1967 Protocol, access to good quality education has not materialized for many refugee children.

Levels of enrolment and progression through the education system for refugees are lower than their peers, with secondary-school-aged girls likely to be particularly affected.

Refugees can face many barriers to accessing higher education, including a lack of information, advice and individual guidance sensitive to their specific needs, inadequate provision of intensive language courses for academic purposes, and restricted access to government student finance schemes.

Host countries, concerned about job security for their citizens, often restrict refugees’ access to work. Such measures make it harder for refugee parents to find money to pay for their children’s scholarships to attend private schools. In any case, many families cannot afford secondary-school fees, uniforms, notebooks, and higher transport costs, since secondary schools are often fewer and farther away.

Prejudices and policies perpetuated by the government that legally prevent refugees from accessing an equivalent education to the ones their citizens enjoy.

The economically unstable situation of the parents and the language of instruction, as most do not speak the local language, nor do they speak the language of instruction at home.

The exclusion of refugees in the national selection and placement for secondary school and university levels

Lack of access to government subsidies, because they are non-citizens.

Urban refugee children do not have access to the national public education system and therefore have to attend expensive private schools

Establishing community learning centres in refugee camps and urban areas. The centres will also offer parents’ forums to meet exchange of information and discuss their problems and have access to advice.

Providing assistance refugee students in obtaining scholarships and bursaries for further education

Providing assistance to refugee students in having access to books and other learning on materials

Informing the public and the government about the support required for ensuring refugee children’s education

Our priorities in relation to refugees ’education

Establishing community learning centres in refugee camps and urban areas. The centres will also offer parents’ forums to meet exchange of information and discuss their problems and have access to advice.

Providing assistance refugee students in obtaining scholarships and bursaries for further education

Providing assistance to refugee students in having access to books and other learning on materials

Informing the public and the government about the support required for ensuring refugee children’s education.